The Horsepower Freaks at Dodge are Working on an Electric Muscle Car
It’s not electric, it’s eMuscle
Ok Dodge, we get it. You didn’t want to, but now you have to.
American muscle cars and V8’s go together like bread and butter, or more appropriately, fries and ketchup (ribs and barbecue sauce?). There’s nothing more synonymous with ‘MERICA than long stretches of road and a roaring V8, but the shifting tides sometimes result in a beached whale.
Dodge, iconic automaker known for making hilariously fun horsepower monsters in the name of red, white, and blue, have recently teased an electric performance car due in 2024. The teaser video shows the new concept car shrouded in darkness with a glowing Fratzog emblem, followed up with quick cuts of Dodge’s classic and current speed demons burning out, spinning out, and driving exactly the speed limit.
For those unfamiliar with the three-pointed Fratzog emblem, Dodge used it on various models from 1962 to 1976 (the name is gibberish and doesn’t mean anything, by the way).
We don’t think it hints at the revival of an old nameplate like the Coronet, but likely a nudge from Dodge that they won’t be forgetting their roots when it comes to this new electric car. We also got a look at the rear of the concept, revealing familiar trunk lines and shapes. It doesn’t look like Dodge will be deviating too far from the design language of their existing muscle car lineup.
With electric comes all-wheel drive
The teaser video also showed the concept car pulling off an all-wheel drive burnout. Although it seems uncharacteristic for a muscle car to have AWD, it isn’t a new feature for Dodge – it’s actually an option on current Challengers and Chargers.
Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis has stated before that more power wasn’t the answer to the new electric muscle car’s performance, but also that it wouldn’t disappoint. He was primarily referencing the lack of traction when pushing upwards of 1,000 hp, saying that “I can give it to you [but] it won’t be any faster than the one you’ve got, because all you’re going to do is spin the tires.” However, an intelligent AWD system may just be the remedy for such a scenario.
We don’t like it either, but hey, it’s faster
When it comes to guzzling gas and acting macho, fewer cars do it better than Dodge’s lineup of American muscle. From the memes about stuffing Hellcat engines into minivans in the face of EPA pressure, to the latest teaser video mocking the idea of Dodge building an EV in the first place, it’s no surprise that the automaker and its fans have been apprehensive of an electric future. It’s almost as if they’re embarrassed to have their hand forced into going electric (parent company Fiat Chrysler even faced a $79 million fine in 2019 for falling short of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions standards).
It’s no secret that the industry is moving forward from internal combustion engines, and it’s up to Dodge to keep up. They even said as much during their event, “Evolve to survive. Evolve intelligently to thrive.” The entire campaign seems a bit cringeworthy, but electrification is a necessary step if Dodge wants to continue to exist. With their history of building iconic muscle cars, we’re excited to see what Dodge has in store for the future of American muscle – even if they won’t have that signature V8 rumble.
Dodge is set to release more information on their plan for electrification sometime this year, followed up with a full reveal of the new electric muscle concept in 2022.
